There's a lot in that article that reminded me of why I stopped going to major conventions. Hell, even GenCon started suffering from an over-abundance of bad cosplay and people going to be seen instead of just coming to play and learn about games.

UNC_Samurai:There's a lot in that article that reminded me of why I stopped going to major conventions. Hell, even GenCon started suffering from an over-abundance of bad cosplay and people going to be seen instead of just coming to play and learn about games.

/hopefully going back to Historicon this year, though

Yeah, I went to Katsucon a few years ago (selling shirts, posters, books in the Artists' Alley) and the people there were there strictly for getting their pictures taken in costume. They spend most of their money on the badge to get in, then have enough left over for some overpriced crap from the dealer's room. Hated that con...

Richard_The_Clown:UNC_Samurai: There's a lot in that article that reminded me of why I stopped going to major conventions. Hell, even GenCon started suffering from an over-abundance of bad cosplay and people going to be seen instead of just coming to play and learn about games.

/hopefully going back to Historicon this year, though

Yeah, I went to Katsucon a few years ago (selling shirts, posters, books in the Artists' Alley) and the people there were there strictly for getting their pictures taken in costume. They spend most of their money on the badge to get in, then have enough left over for some overpriced crap from the dealer's room. Hated that con...

Hell, why even badge in if you're just gonna troll the corridors looking to get noticed... especially at GenCon?

I don't know why Whovians write off Freema Agyeman as the BEST Assistant/Companion to the Doctor. She's OBVIOUSLY, the best ACTOR to play Companion/Assistant to the Doctor. It was RTD who wrote Martha Jones' ARC so POORLY, as a jilted schoolgirl. Then, post-Companion, interGalactic Spacebabe who was nothing like Companion Martha Jones.

I think Martha Jones' best point was in "Human Nature" / "Family of Blood" where Martha had to be servant and caretaker of the Doctor when he was hiding from the Family. The Doctor was stripped of all his powers. As a Black Servant in Early 20th Century England, Martha had little power and very little influence in that Culture. There was every reason to dismiss her. Martha fought to bring the Doctor back against impossible odds.

Martha Jones played well against Tennant's Doctor. The one thing the Doctor can never be is HUMAN. And Martha Jones was the Introverted Human, playing against Tennant's Doctor. Jiminy Cricket to the Tenth Doctor, his Human consciousness.

Incog_Neeto:BalugaJoe: 30 dollars for a companions autograph? I wouldn't pay that for Paul McGann.

That's the first thing I noticed, 30 bucks an autograph? The only thing more ridiculous then charging that is that people are paying for it.

I went to a horror convention some years ago and everyone was charging for autographs, even Bruce Campbell. It was SOP. The convention couldn't afford to pay them to be there, so that's how they made their money.

John Kassir (the voice of the Cryptkeeper and Buster Bunny) and his wife actually would donate all their earnings towards charity. Kassir would record your voicemail message in his character's voice.

Autographs are nice, but a weekend of interacting with the people behind the show is something you can't put a price on. I've gone three years now, and my most cherished memories aren't all of the autograph lines! Getting hugged by Paul McGann, teasing Freema Agyeman in the elevator, trading ribbons with Daphne Ashbrook, talking knitting with June Hudson - the freaking costume designer for TOM BAKER - how often does that happen? Those are once in a lifetime things and for a lifelong Whovian like myself I'm glad that Gally does everything it can to preserve that up-close, friendly atmosphere. Even Peter Davison, who was a jetlagged grouch his first day at 2011's Gally, loosened up a lot and by the end of the con he was gleefully unravelling a Season 18 scarf for the cameras and even gave this fangirl a peck on the cheek.

Gally also does a charity auction on its last day, and this year raised over $7000 for Alex's Lemonade Stand.

It's a small con trying to stay small, but that's tricky in this day and age.